The control of heavy oil or tar sands or sand suspended in oil or where tar is the matrix is difficult as the conventional sand control and production methods are not adequate and effective. In tar sands, the sand becomes unconsolidated after the oil or tar is removed. The formation is consolidated oil or bitumen until the oil or bitumen is produced. The problem in tar sands is the undesirable production of sand with the oil or bitumen which is detrimental to most equipment, and particularly to the pumps.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,247 circulates hot fluids between lower and upper perforations in a tar sand formation, but it also produces sand with the melted bitumen which is detrimental to most mechanical equipment above, as the hydraulic pumps, etc. Assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,671 discloses circulating an aqueous heating fluid with sodium hydroxide out upper perforations and in lower perforations after packing through a sand pack. But this disclosure lacks the steps of inserting a screen in the apex of the cone of the gravel pack and ejecting hot fluids into the cavity for providing an improved method of sand control and production of bitumen. U.S. Pat. No. 2,905,245 likewise lacks the screen and gravel pack therewith for providing an improved method for hydrocarbon production in tar sands.